Water usage in Dublin 4 one of the highest in country

Average water usage figures have been released by the Central Statistics Office and show some interesting trends in Dublin’s districts.

Southsiders have a higher annual consumption of water than those living on the northside. The figures also show how many water meters were installed across the capital. By January 2015, 519,781 water meters had been installed in Dublin and by December the same year the number rose to 764,319. The new data is supplied by these meters.
Those homeowners who live in the more affluent suburbs of Dublin 4, Dublin 6 and Dublin 13 consume vastly more water than the average home owner in Ireland. In fact just 10% of consumers account for 43% of the water used in the country. Dublin 6 has the highest domestic water use with 488 litres consumed per day. Dublin 4 is not far behind with 459 litres consumed per household per day.

The Central Statistics Office suggests that larger family homes in Donnybrook, Sandymount and Ballsbridge which have more ensuites and larger gardens could account for these high figures.This is in comparison to just 297 litres used on average in Dublin 1 and 283 litres average in Dublin 2 where households are smaller and live in apartment accommodation.

So how can you begin to conserve water in your home and garden? You may think that there is plenty of water to go around with all the rain we get in Ireland but this water still needs to be treated. Water treatment facilities can only process a certain amount of water a day so we all need to make small changes in our daily lives to not waste this precious resource. Dublin City Council list helpful tips on their website:
Ensure your home is leak free – check for running overflows and fix any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes.

Reduce the time you spend in the shower – a regular shower will use about 35 litres of water in 5 mins. However, a power shower will use over 125 litres in the same time.
Use a bucket of water, not a hose. A hose uses more water in one hour than the average family uses in a day. The car will be just as clean using a bucket of water.
Keep a jug of water in the fridge – instead of letting the tap run when waiting for cold water, fill a jug of water and keep it in the fridge.
Use a basin in your sink – instead of letting the tap run, use a basin to rinse and clean your fruit and vegetables. And you can use the leftover water to give your potted plants a drink.

Rainwater is excellent for your garden – collect it in a water tank fed from your gutters but always make sure to securely cover large containers for safety.
For more information and tips you can visit www.water.ie.

by Jessica Eillis